1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to benches used by weight lifters during weight training exercises, and more particularly to the saddles provided therewith for restably receiving barbells. Still more particularly, the present invention is related to saddles of the aforesaid class which are provided with a safety structure for preventing accidental tipping of the barbell with respect to the saddles during weight adjustment thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Weight lifting benches provide a raised platform seat on which the weight lifter can sit or recline during his or her weight training. Barbells used for weight training employ a bar which has connected on each end thereof one or more replaceable disc shaped weights. A sleeve, usually of plastic, is sometimes located between the weights, which serves as a handhold surface for the weightlifter; accordingly, when referring to the bar hereinafter, it is intended that the sleeve be included as an optional feature of the bar. The weight lifting bench further provides for restable receiving of the bar, which is particularly useful during pressing routines. For this purpose, an upright is provided on each side of the bench, each upright terminating in a saddle. Each saddle is of a general U-shape for safely receiving the bar when the weight lifter places the elongated bar thereupon. Each saddle is characterized by a horizontally disposed base for restably supporting the bar which is interconnected with a pair of upstanding, mutually spaced stems that serve to prevent the bar from rolling off the base. Customarily, a front located stem is shorter than its opposing rear located stem, as this serves to guidably aid the weight lifter to place the bar of heavily weighted barbells into the saddles.
Frequently, weight lifters will change weights on the bar. This is a task that is inconveniently performed with the weights resting on the floor, but very conveniently performed when the bar is resting in the saddles. However, as weights are being adjusted, a problem arises when the weights of one side of the bar no longer weightably match the weights on the other side of the bar. This unbalance can result in the elongated bar tipping out of one or both of the saddles, which can potentially cause damage or injury.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,301 to Goyette, dated Mar. 17, 1981, discloses a weight lifting bench having a pair of posts, each of which having a V-shaped support for the bar of a barbell. A safety clamp is provided at each of the V-shaped supports, wherein a user manually slides a slidable member over the V-shaped support when the bar is resident therein, and a spring detent serves to prevent the slidable member from moving. Whereas this safety feature is workable for post-type uprights, conventional weight lifting bench uprights are pipe-like, so that this type of safety clamp is not adaptable for use therewith. Further, this safety feature must be manually set and manually released, which is both time consuming and involves the potential for trouble if a weight lifter forgets to set it or release it.
Accordingly, what is needed is a simple, effective, reliable and passive safety structure for weight lifting benches for preventing accidental tipping of barbells.